Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 15,318 complaints for VOLVO
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
I was driving on the freeway, when All of the sudden the driver seat started to move by itself, and the door locks started locking and unlocking by itself.
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
I was driving on the freeway, when All of the sudden the driver seat started to move by itself, and the door locks started locking and unlocking by itself.
Incident date: Jan 4, 2025
I've read a bunch of complaints about the drivers side daytime running lights having an electrical issue and the lights stop working. It's a common theme that it's only the drivers side which indicates faulty wiring which could possibly lead to a fire sometime. Ours is now not functioning. It just stopped working yesterday and I started to investigate it on my own.
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
On this Engine 166 model, I experience noise when Idling and when driving, coming from Engine with no code to indicate what is the problem of the car. This create the heat of the Engine to go up than normal and make the fan to run at high speed. When I call dealer, they told me its common problem on these Engine 166, and I need new Engine. I wanted to get second opinion from different Dealership ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
I was driving and all of a sudden my car flipped into neutral mid drive. I couldn’t put it in park. I couldn’t put it in drive and I couldn’t put it in reverse. I had to sit on the road with my foot on the pedal until someone could tow it. My kids and were stuck in the dark on dangerous corner of a windy road. This is a serious safety deficit. We are still covered under warranty. We got it h... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2025
Unknown But my concern is the clock spring recall. I would like that fixed I don't understand why I can't have it fixed under the recall for my Jeep Wrangler 2 door. I am worried that the air bag won't work... right now the horn and a few other controls on the steering wheel doesn't work. So I believe this vehicle is part of the recall.
Incident date: Jan 4, 2025
Unknown But my concern is the clock spring recall. I would like that fixed I don't understand why I can't have it fixed under the recall for my Jeep Wrangler 2 door. I am worried that the air bag won't work... right now the horn and a few other controls on the steering wheel doesn't work. So I believe this vehicle is part of the recall.
Incident date: Jan 4, 2025
Error: Transmission displayed on monitor and vehicle will not go into drive. Stranded with 3 little kids and need to call tow truck to take vehicle into dealership. It says you can continue driving but can’t get vehicle out of park. After researching this online it sounds like it is a common problem and could be related to the gear selector switch. I hear no electrical motors or any noise when t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2024
When driving down a major highway going 70MPH, my 2017 Chevy Malibu speeds decreased, the brakes locked up, and the vehicle would not accelerate. Eventually the car came to a complete stop and an “engine power reduced” notification came up on the dash. I was able to pull off to the side of the road but I was traveling at a high rate of speed on a busy road, I almost got hit multiple times by p... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2024
The truck has a hesitation with the throttle and does not move for a few seconds causing a safety concern.0
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
We have signs of excessive frame flex in a Grand Design Reflection RV. We have allowed them 2x to inspect and they have botched both inspections. We keep being told there is no TSB or frame flex in reflections, which is not accurate as there are owners who have had cracked welds and major frame failure in reflections units. Grand Design needs to step up and support all customers not just momentum ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2021
We were not informed of the recall in a timely manner. Discovered it online and called dealer to make appointment. They would not give us an appointment for about 3-1/2 weeks and we were told we have to leave the car for 4 to 5 hours. Notification we eventually got later stated repair would take 30 minutes. The dealer provides no transportation to or from, so it means waiting there for 5 hours... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2021
I saw on the internet while I was looking for new mats this year my Lexus RX 350, 2007, vin [XXX] was recalled for the dashboard until May 2017. During 2013 through 2018; my husband left me for my friend; both my sons were shot in different cities; one in Nashville, and one in Denver Colorado. The one in Nashville, was shot 10 times by his roommate who forgot he had a roommate. Fortunately, he tu... Read more
Incident date: Nov 30, 2024
The torque converter with the 6L80 transmission went and destroyed the transmission in my 2015 Silverado. Which is going to cost me thousands of dollars to fix. With the 10's of thousands of people affected, Chevy should of done a recall on the torque converter and/or transmission. There were no signs/symptoms, the truck started shaking like I was driving over rumble strips, no check engine light... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
The rear video camera fails intermittently. It works sometimes and doesn't at times. The same with the rear cross traffic warning and pedestrian warning. I've taken my car to the dealer service center but they claim to not being able to reproduce the issue. I know the issue still exists since my husband hit a parked car while backing out of a driveway since there was no alert provided and the r... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
Dear NHTSA Team, I am writing to report a recurring and distressing issue with my Subaru Legacy 2021 which I believe raises significant safety concerns. Since purchasing the vehicle, I have experienced consistent problems with the battery. Despite replacing the battery five times, the vehicle has repeatedly stopped functioning, including a recent incident where it stalled in the middle of the ro... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
on 12.25.24 I was driving when 4 warning alerts suddenly appeared on my dash: Forward Alert Not Available, ASPC not available, Stability control not available, Autonomous Emergency Braking System not available. I was able to pull over to a parking lot to read the alerts. However, when I tried to reverse out of the parking space to return home, there was no power in reverse. Luckily I was able t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
on 12.25.24 I was driving when 4 warning alerts suddenly appeared on my dash: Forward Alert Not Available, ASPC not available, Stability control not available, Autonomous Emergency Braking System not available. I was able to pull over to a parking lot to read the alerts. However, when I tried to reverse out of the parking space to return home, there was no power in reverse. Luckily I was able t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
My car has 123,000 done everything by book. Been report issues for over yr. Car almost got my killed by not stopping, turning, jerking on Accelerating and decelerating when shifting. All my motor mounts, transmission mount busted , messed up suspension control arm, ball joints, struts , axle, brakes all once. Drained battery. Spent 4500. Then my service shifter just came on. So back at shop. This ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
Not a safety issue. The clear coat seems to be fading on a lot of the 3rd gen tacomas from the factory. Fades much faster than it should.
Incident date: Dec 18, 2024
Rear window shattered with out incident. Car was off and in park. Nothing hit it to cause it to break
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
Cam phasers make engine rattle at startup and idle. A recall has been put out but the dealer did not get the issue fix and sold it anyway. Also rear sensors don't work right.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
Ford has a "safety compliance" which has an expiration date of 10 years or 150,000 whichever was first. How is that even allowed? A major issue with the transmission range sensor which doesn't show a driver what gear there in...the lights all disappear so driver doesn't know if there in P, R, D, N, etc...its extremely dangerous! It also forces my truck to go into limp mode which is very dangerous ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
Ford has a "safety compliance" which has an expiration date of 10 years or 150,000 whichever was first. How is that even allowed? A major issue with the transmission range sensor which doesn't show a driver what gear there in...the lights all disappear so driver doesn't know if there in P, R, D, N, etc...its extremely dangerous! It also forces my truck to go into limp mode which is very dangerous ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
Reverse starter keep going out Had replace two time in one year
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
Brakes are loud been changed to new ones, engine makes a small sound
Incident date: Nov 11, 2024
On [XXX], I was driving my Blazer up to our local Museum to grab some information. The Museum is about a mile and a half from my house. When I had left my house, the car was driving like normal. I pulled into a parking spot at the Museum, and I went to shut the vehicle off, and I thought maybe the check engine light had come on but wasn't completely paying attention to the dash. About 10 minutes l... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2023
This vehicle has the same issue as other recalled GMC Sierra vehicles - the brake booster pump is failing, causing braking difficulty, particularly at low RPM and after repeated presses of the brake pedal.
Incident date: Nov 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the power steering failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving on the highway at 50 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power, decelerated, and stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road however, the vehicle failed to restart. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was inform... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
On Dec 9, 2024 I was driving my 2022 BMW X5 45E on (in EV mode) local roads at approximately 30-35mph when all of a sudden I lost power and the steering wheel became tight. My instrument panels all showed a multitude of errors including: "Chassis stabilization", "Power Supply", "Reduced Power", "Transmssion Malfuction", and others I do not recall. I was fortunately able to turn into a parking lo... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving 38 MPH, the exterior lights, taillights, daytime running lights, and interior lights became inoperable for two and a half seconds. The seat belt light flashed. Additionally, the seat heater and steering buttons were switched off and then reset. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
I purchased my new 2007 Chevy duramax diesel with an already installed fabtech lift kit. My pitman arm has snapped 3 times since I purchased my truck leaving me with complete steering loss. I have had to replace all steering components several times. My truck is unsafe due to a fabtech lift kit that the dealer installed before I purchased it. Led Schwab was the installer. I have several complaints... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
I purchased my new 2007 Chevy duramax diesel with an already installed fabtech lift kit. My pitman arm has snapped 3 times since I purchased my truck leaving me with complete steering loss. I have had to replace all steering components several times. My truck is unsafe due to a fabtech lift kit that the dealer installed before I purchased it. Led Schwab was the installer. I have several complaints... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
Recently, I started having problems with my electric power steering. While driving I would experience sudden loss of power and the power steering service light would start flashing. This happened on multiple occasions without a warning. It also happens at random times so I decided to do some investigating on NHTSA’s website. I saw there was a recall issued for Ram 1500s models between 2013-2016 ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 13, 2024
Transmission shift dropped on its own down to 1st gear while driving and would not shift to next gear.
Incident date: Dec 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while coming to a complete stop, the engine auto Start/Stop system engaged, causing the engine to shut off; however, the electrical system then became inoperable. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal to resume driving, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that while coming to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2024
After latest Tesla software upgrade, all cameras and GPS stops working. All automatic functionalities of the car stops working without cameras, and it is really unsafe to drive, for example back up the car since the physical rear view mirror is very small, and car is naturally designed with those cameras to function properly.
Incident date: Oct 23, 2024
Just driving normal condition and speed all of a sudden my car jam or brake on it’s own, causing a quick sudden jerk and almost getting hit from the back. All of my front sensors and back sensors was shut off at this time.
Incident date: Jun 3, 2024
My daughter is 20 months old and I thought it was a fluke but not she 100% know how to unbuckle the chest clip. We will be driving down the road and she will undo the chest clip and wiggle out of her seat. I have reached out to Evenflo and got no help. Yesterday alone we were in the car for 2 hours and she continuously would unbuckle and try climbing out while driving. She isn't old enough to unde... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V720000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
while driving at an 50 MPH speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and flashing continuously. The vehicle was not in drivable condition since it was unusually vibrating while either standing or driving at very low speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a cylinder #2 misfire, and that the valve, cylinder head or crack on the casting causing ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the contact attempted to avoid crashing into a bicyclist and depressed the brake pedal however, the brakes failed to engage. As a result, the front passenger side of the vehicle crashed into a tree; before the crash, there was an abnormal sound whenever the brake pedal was depressed. In addition, the "Serv... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
1. Passenger (next to driver) side no-belt warning is not working. Seat belt warning is not shown even when the passenger (adult) does not wear belt. It is consistently reproducible even when the vehicle is at highway speeds. 2. Passenger side airbag is always OFF even when there is a passenger seated with their seat belt on. I purchased this vehicle in April'2024 and have been consistently hav... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
1. Passenger (next to driver) side no-belt warning is not working. Seat belt warning is not shown even when the passenger (adult) does not wear belt. It is consistently reproducible even when the vehicle is at highway speeds. 2. Passenger side airbag is always OFF even when there is a passenger seated with their seat belt on. I purchased this vehicle in April'2024 and have been consistently hav... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2023
Vin: [XXX] We just had the starter go bad at roughly 66000 miles. When the repair shop had removed the bad starter they noticed a very odd failure. The nut/stud on the starter was stripped. They stated that this was definitely from a manufacturing defect. I can provide the bad starter and receipt of the cost of replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2024
Vehicle purchased June 2022. I can't keep front brakes on the vehicle. July 4, 2023 Mileage 52154, the front brakes were worn out and replaced with Brake Best brake pads. January 12, 2024 Mileage 76200. Front brake pads worn out and ruined the rotors. Pads replaced with Raybestos pads and Brake Best Rotors. December 2024 Mileage 114261. Front brake pads worn out and are cutting into the front ro... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2024
Hit a deer that impacted the passenger side of the vehicle. Passenger seat was occupied, and door had to be pried open by tow truck driver to get passenger out. Entire right side, from the "L" logo to the front fender was destroyed. The passenger airbag did not deploy, nor did emergency braking or collision avoidance warning go off as deer was crossing from the left (driver) side to passenger s... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 5, 2024
225/50 R18. Purchased in March 2024 and tread is already at 4/32 and 5/32 as of Dec 2024 for 2 of them. Tires driven for 13K miles. This is completely unacceptable and unsafe. I believe there is a defect, for tires to be so new and tread to be degrading so quickly.